New York, March 27, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service, ("Moody's") has
affirmed the ratings of Ventas Inc. and its subsidiaries,
including its Baa1 senior unsecured debt rating. The ratings outlook
has been revised to negative from stable.
The ratings affirmation reflects Ventas' position as one of the
largest healthcare REITs, as well as its property type diversification,
strong liquidity and sound capital structure. The outlook has been
revised to negative to reflect the risks Ventas faces in its senior housing
business, as the coronavirus pandemic is likely to cause acute occupancy
decline and cash flow pressure across the industry. We expect Ventas'
credit metrics, particularly Net Debt/EBITDA, will deteriorate
as a result of these operating challenges.
The following ratings were affirmed:
Ventas Realty, Limited Partnership - Senior unsecured debt
at Baa1; Senior unsecured shelf at (P)Baa1; Gtd Senior Unsecured
Commercial Paper Program at P-2
Ventas Canada Finance Limited - Senior unsecured debt at Baa1
Nationwide Health Properties, Inc. -- Senior unsecured
debt at Baa1
Ventas Inc. -- Preferred shelf at (P)Baa2
Outlook Actions:
Issuers: Ventas Realty, Limited Partnership; Ventas Canada
Finance Limited; Nationwide Health Properties, Inc.;
Ventas Inc.
Outlook, Change to Negative from Stable
RATINGS RATIONALE
Ventas' Baa1 senior unsecured debt rating reflects its large size
and diversification among multiple property types, business models,
and operators within the healthcare real estate market. Other key
credit strengths include its strong fixed charge coverage ratio,
modest use of secured debt and large unencumbered asset base. Ventas
also maintains sound liquidity and good financial flexibility to face
risks to operating cash flows, particularly within its senior housing
operating business (32% of NOI), due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The rapid and widening spread of the coronavirus outbreak, deteriorating
global economic outlook, falling oil prices, and asset price
declines are creating a severe and extensive credit shock across many
sectors, regions and markets. The combined credit effects
of these developments are unprecedented. The senior housing sector
is expected to be significantly affected due to this population's vulnerability
to serious medical complications arising from the coronavirus and their
communal settings. More specifically, the weaknesses in Ventas'
credit profile, including its direct exposure to senior housing
operations, have left it vulnerable to shifts in market sentiment
in these unprecedented operating conditions and it remains vulnerable
to the outbreak continuing to spread. We regard the coronavirus
outbreak as a social risk under our ESG framework, given the substantial
implications for public health and safety. Today's action
reflects the impact on Ventas of the breadth and severity of the shock,
and the broad deterioration in credit quality it has triggered.
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Ventas' senior housing
business had already been under pressure due to industry-wide challenges
(new supply, labor costs), as well as operating issues specific
to certain of its third-party managers and its sizable presence
in some secondary markets. The REIT's challenges have grown
more acute due to implications of the coronavirus. Move-ins
are expected to sharply decline, inhibiting the REIT's ability
to replace natural resident turnover. At the same time, the
potential for move-outs to accelerate due to coronavirus-related
deaths among this high-risk population is an additional risk.
Rising expenses from staffing and supply shortages, as well as increased
disease containment protocols, are likely to further impact profitability.
Ventas' senior housing operations (32% of NOI) are directly
exposed to potentially large NOI declines. The REIT's triple-net
portfolio, which includes acute and specialty hospitals and senior
housing, also faces risks but the NOI declines are expected to be
more modest.
Ventas' property type diversification, including its high-quality
medical office building (20%) and university-based research
and innovation (8%) portfolios is a distinct advantage in the current
operating climate. While these businesses are not immune to macro
concerns, they have historically demonstrated less sensitivity to
economic cycles and are expected to buffer cash flow declines in Ventas'
other businesses.
Ventas' liquidity position provides cushion to absorb declines in
operating cash flow. As a precautionary measure, the REIT
recently drew down $2.75 billion on its unsecured credit
facility and now has a cash balance approximating $2.75
billion. The total revolver is $3 billion and matures in
2021 plus two six-month extension options. Upcoming maturities
are very modest and include $277 million coming due in 2020 and
$361 million in 2021.
The negative outlook reflects risks Ventas faces in its senior housing
business, as the coronavirus pandemic is likely to cause acute occupancy
and cash flow pressure across the industry. We expect Ventas'
credit metrics, particularly Net Debt/EBITDA, will deteriorate
as a result of these operating challenges.
Ratings could be downgraded if Net debt to EBITDA were expected to remain
above 6.5x on a sustained basis. Any liquidity challenges,
including materially diminished covenant cushion or material operating
weakness translating into fixed charge coverage below 3.5x on a
sustained basis, could also lead to downgrade. Secured debt
increasing to the mid-to-high teens as % of gross
assets would also pressure the REIT's ratings.
A ratings upgrade is unlikely but would require Net Debt to EBITDA below
5.0x and effective leverage closer to 30% on a gross asset
basis. Secured debt remaining below 10% of gross assets,
fixed charge coverage above 4.5x, and reduced operator/manager
concentration (top two less than 20% of NOI combined) would also
support a ratings upgrade.
Ventas, Inc. [NYSE: VTR] is a healthcare REIT
with a diverse portfolio of about 1,200 assets in the United States,
Canada and the United Kingdom consisting of seniors housing communities,
medical office buildings, university-based research and innovation
centers, inpatient rehab facilities and long-term acute care
facilities, health systems and skilled nursing facilities.
The principal methodology used in these ratings was REITs and Other Commercial
Real Estate Firms published in September 2018. Please see the Rating
Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this
methodology.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant
to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing
ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings
issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain
regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the
support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action
for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's
credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement
provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional
rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may
be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each
case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior
to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have
affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings
tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action,
and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action,
the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
Lori Marks
VP - Senior Credit Officer
Corporate Finance Group
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Philip Kibel
Associate Managing Director
Corporate Finance Group
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.
250 Greenwich Street
New York, NY 10007
U.S.A.
JOURNALISTS: 1 212 553 0376
Client Service: 1 212 553 1653